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The shaman's way of healing in the light of western psychotherapy and christian tradition 2021

(The only book in the world that compares these three directions)

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2007, edition pro mente, Linz.
2014 - updated and augmented - in the edition by Ennsthaler, Steyr   ISBN 13: 978-3-85068-921-2 
In addition to the German and Romanian editions,
2021 an English version is also been available:

 

The Shaman's Way of Healing

The Shaman's Way of Healing

In Light of Western Psychotherapy and Christian Tradition

Release date: 2021

Author: August Thalhamer

266 pages

ISBN: 978-3709501238

You can order the book here

 

 

Summary:

The book introduces the reader to the most ancient healing tradition of humanity and makes it clear that these skills definitely lie dormant in every human being. The author reports on his personal shamanic experience and shows how it can be explained from a psychological and Christian view. What is new in this book is the attempt to view three seemingly incompatible methods as a whole.

Is shamanic healing really as different from psychological treatment as it seems to be at first glance? The book singles out one essential point: While shamans (in trance) contact demons and good spirits, psychotherapists work with destructive parts as well as resources of the personality. In spite of all differences in the view of life and in external forms, the book postulate that we deal with the same processes, which on the one hand are explained and felt within the psyche and on the other hand outside. Whether I use the wisdom of the (collective) Unconscious to solve a problem or am inspired by good powers, which from a psychological viewpoint are entities projected outside: for the effectiveness of the process it seems to be irrelevant in which way we think about it.

On balance of the results, the author states that surprisingly enough the healing principles of shamanic rituals - in spite of their exotic form - correspond to a great extent with the results of psychological research as well as psychotherapeutic practice. They are also compatible with theological conceptions, especially with the experience of the mystics.

Although the book has been written in a personal, understandable and easily readable style, it should on the other hand satisfy scientific criteria.

Contents:

Preface by Carlo Zumstein, the leader of the Foundation for Living Shamanism and Spirituality, Switzerland
and
an introduction by Sandra Ingerman, author of twelve books, including Soul Retrieval: Mending the Fragmented Self, Medicine for the Earth, Walking in Light, and The Book of Ceremony: Shamanic Wisdom for Invoking the Sacred in Everyday Life.

 

Prologue

1. Shamanism
 
My Women
 
First Basic Assumption:
There Are Other Worlds Besides the Visible One 
 
What Is the Origin of Shamanism? How Does Someone Become a Shaman?
 
The Shamanic Calling Today
 
The Foundation for Shamanic Studies
 
Albert Einstein: “I Rely on Intuition”
 
How Can a Person Sense and Know Something about Another, That Cannot Possibly Be Known?
 
 
Second Basic Assumption: Everything Is Part of a Whole
 
Third Basic Assumption: Everything Existing Has a Soul
 
Even Science Is Discovering the Interconnectedness
 
How Do You Go on a Shamanic Journey
 
Examples 
 
What Is the Purpose of a Shamanic Journey?
 
Isn’t That Regression?
 
How Do Shamans Heal Others?
 
Examples
 
Where Do These Images Come From?
 
A Claim to Exclusivity? Does a Shaman Possess the Truth?
 
The Third Something 
 
Contraindications
 
 
2. Shamanism and Christianity
 
Is Shamanism a Religion?
 
You Shall Not Make for Yourself an Image of God! (Ex 20:4)
 
A Painful History
 
At the Beginning of Every Religion Is the Experience of the Mystery
 
Yahweh’s Name Is “Jealous” (Ex 34:14)
 
The Men of Yahweh Are Shamans with a License
 
The Wind Blows Where It Chooses (John 3:8)
 
Jesus Healed. What about Us?
 
How Did Jesus Heal?
 
Magicians and Witches
 
Exorcism
 
Shamanic Elements in Christianity
 
The Jesuit’s Initiation 
 
My Personal Shamanic Way
 
 
3. Shamanism and Psychotherapy
 
How Are Shamanism and Psychotherapy Compatible?
 
Shamanic Treatment Is Healing in Trance with the Aid of Unconscious Wisdom
 
Examples
 
So Is Healing Done with the Help of Spirit Beings or the Wisdom of the Unconscious?
 
The Realm of the Psyche and Spirit Beings Is One
 
The Same Thing – Expressed in Different Languages
 
Miracle Healing Instead of an Arduous Healing Process?
 
Is Health/Healing a Gift or an Accomplishment?
 
Healing for Mother Earth
 
Charlatans?
 
Black Magic and Damage Sorcery
 
Shamanism and Science 
 
The Problems of Measuring Efficiency
 
Can a Psychotherapist Integrate Shamanic Healing into Their Practice?
 
Neo-Shamanism?
 

Literature

 


The author

Dr. August Thalhamer (* 1943) is a Roman Catholic theologian. He worked as a priest for five years and then studied psychology. Since 1974 he has worked as a free-lance psychotherapist and economic psychologist. He completed a number of post-graduate trainings in psychotherapeutic methods as well as team-building and organisational development. Soon he also became interested in traditional healing methods and acquired several of them. In order to evade inner conflicts (among other reasons), he has been studying the question how the often astonishing success of spiritual methods can be explained in terms of psychology as well as theology. He also working  as Urban Shaman and he reports regularly on this subject at international conferences.

His latest publication was "Für die Versöhnung neuen Wissens und alter Weisheit in der Seelenheilkunde. Streitschrift gegen die Reduktion des Menschen auf naturwissenschaftlich erfassbare Materie. Mit besonderer Berücksichtigung schamanischer Heiltradition": For The Reconciliation Of New Knowledge And Ancient Wisdom In The Medicin Of The Soul. Polemic against the reductionism of the human condition on scientifically comprehensible matter. With special reference to the shamanic healing tradition (Now exists only a German version of the book.)